Electrical switch with placard and remote use indicator

Abstract

An electrical device for use in an electric circuit. The electrical device includes a housing and at least one wiring device disposed within the housing. The at least one wiring device includes an electrical switch. The electrical switch includes at least one terminal member configured to be coupled to the electric circuit. The electrical switch is configured to selectively energize at least one load. The electrical device further includes a remote use indictor module disposed within the housing. The remote use indicator includes a remote use indicator circuit coupled to the electrical switch and a remote use indicator coupled to the remote use indicator circuit. The remote use indicator circuit is configured to detect when the at least one load is energized or de-energized, and actuate the remote use indicator in response thereto. The electrical device further includes an indicia holder disposed in the housing. The indicia holder is configured to display an indicia identifying a remote location of the at least one load and/or an ornamental image.

1. An electrical device for use in an electric circuit, the device comprising:
 a housing; 
 at least one wiring device disposed within the housing, the at least one wiring device including an electrical switch, the electrical switch including at least one terminal member configured to be coupled to the electric circuit, the electrical switch being configured to selectively energize at least one load; 
 a remote use indicator module disposed within the housing, the remote use indicator including a remote use indicator circuit coupled to the electrical switch and a remote use indicator coupled to the remote use indicator circuit, the remote use indicator circuit being configured to detect when the at least one load is energized and/or de-energized, and actuate the remote use indicator in response thereto; and 
 an indicia holder disposed in the housing, the indicia holder being configured to display a removable indicia identifying a remove location of the at least one load and/or an ornamental image, the indicia being tactile or visual in nature. 
 
   
   
     2. The device of  claim 1  wherein the indicia holder includes:
 a planar surface integral to the housing; 
 a placard having the indicia disposed thereon; and 
 a lens plate disposed over the placard and the planar surface, the placard being disposed between the planar surface and the lens plate. 
 
   
   
     3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remove use indicator circuit is disposed on a circuit board. 
   
   
     4. The device of  claim 3 , wherein the circuit board is hard wired to the electrical switch. 
   
   
     5. The device of  claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle including at least one receptacle contact element that is electrically coupled to the electrical switch. 
   
   
     6. The device of  claim 5 , wherein the remote use indictor module includes at least one module contact element and has a form factor that is configured to be inserted into the receptacle such that the at least one module contact element engages the at least one receptacle contact element such that electrical connectivity is established between the remove use indictor module and the electric switch. 
   
   
     7. The device of  claim 6 , the pilot light module also being removable from the pilot light receptacle to thereby disengage the at least one pilot circuit contact member from the contact element. 
   
   
     8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remote use indicator includes at least one light emitting diode. 
   
   
     9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remove use indicator includes at least one neon lamp. 
   
   
     10. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia holder includes an image bearing media for displaying the indicia. 
   
   
     11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the image bearing media is removable from the indicia holder. 
   
   
     12. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the indicia includes text. 
   
   
     13. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the indicia includes both text and at least one image. 
   
   
     14. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remote use indicator emits a light in response to being actuated by the remote use circuit. 
   
   
     15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remote use indicator emits a color coded light signal. 
   
   
     16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the remote use indicator emits a first color when not actuated by the remote use indicator circuit, and emits a second color when actuated by the remote use indicator circuit. 
   
   
     17. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the remote use indicator emits a third color when the electrical device is wired correctly. 
   
   
     18. An electrical device for use in an electric circuit, the device comprising:
 a housing having a planar surface of at least 0.8 square inches in area; 
 at least one wiring device disposed within the housing, the at least one wiring device including an electrical switch, the electrical switch including at least one terminal member configured to be coupled to the electric circuit, the electrical switch being configured to selectively energize at least one remote load, 
 an indicia holder disposed on the planar surface of the housing, configured to display an indicia identifying the remote load selectively energized by the at least one wiring device disposed within the housing. 
 
   
   
     19. The device of  claim 18  wherein the indicia holder is configured to provide tactile indicia identifying the load selectively energized by the at least one wiring device disposed within the housing. 
   
   
     20. The device of  claim 19  wherein the indicia holder is configured to combine tactile indicia and human readable indicia. 
   
   
     21. The device of  claim 20  wherein the human readable indicia includes a symbol. 
   
   
     22. The device of  claim 20  wherein the human readable indicia includes a configuration of alpha-numeric characters. 
   
   
     23. The device of  claim 18  wherein the indicia holder is configured to provide human readable indicia identifying the remote load selectively energized by the at least one wiring device disposed within the housing. 
   
   
     24. The device of  claim 23  wherein the human readable indicia includes a symbol. 
   
   
     25. The device of  claim 23  wherein the human readable indicia includes a configuration of alpha-numeric characters. 
   
   
     26. The device of  claim 23  wherein the human readable indicia includes a photograph. 
   
   
     27. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the housing includes a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle including at least one receptacle contact element that is electrically coupled to the electrical switch. 
   
   
     28. The device of  claim 18 , further including a timer, wherein the electric switch is configured to selectively energize the at least one remote load in a repeating energizing pattern, the repeating energizing pattern being pre-determined by the timer, the indicia holder being configured to provide indicia corresponding to the repeating energizing pattern. 
   
   
     29. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the indicia holder includes:
 a placard having the indicia disposed thereon; and 
 a lens plate disposed over the placard and the planar surface, the placard being disposed between the planar surface and the lens plate.